John Hurt stars in Heroes

Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle

TOM Stoppard's new English-language version of Gerald Sibleyras
play,Le Vent de Peupliers, entitled simply Heroes,
receives its UK premiere at London's Wyndham's Theatre
on October 18, 2005 (previews from October 7).

Set in 1959, the action takes place in a veterans' hospital where
three men are planning their escape. It will star Richard Griffiths,
John Hurt (pictured) and Ken Stott.

Griffiths, the winner of three Best Actor Awards (Critics' Circle,
Evening Standard and Olivier) for his role in Alan Bennett's The
History Boys due, incidentally, to be given the big screen
treatment this summer, has also appeared on stage in Art,
The Man Who Came to Dinner, Luther and Katherine Howard.

While his screen credits include
Harry Potter, Chariots of Fire and Withnail and I.

Hurt was most recently seen in the West End in Afterplay
and Knapp's Last Tape.

But it's probably for his long and distinguished career in film
that he's best known - Alien(who could forget that defining moment when the alien first
thrust itself onto an unsuspecting public!), Little Malcolm,
The Elephant Man, 1984, White Mischief, The Field, Crime and Punishment,
Rob Roy and Captain
Corelli's Mandolinand the film-stealing role of Iannis.

Stott, too, has many roles to his credit. On stage, he has appeared
in Faith Healer, The Misanthrope, Death of a Salesman, Hamlet
and The Rose Tattoo.

He was last seen at the Wyndham's nine years ago when another
French three-hander, Art, had its West End premiere there.

Meanwhile, his other credits include The Vice, Messiah, Uncle
Adolf and The Singing Detective (TV) and The
Boxer, Shallow Grave, Fever Pitch and King
Arthur(film).